Published U.K. Patent Application 2,210,603 which was filed in 1987 by Phillip Nigel Record discloses a pocket sized business card dispenser. The Record reference has a container with a removable closure through which a stack of business cards may be inserted. The container also has a dispensing slot through which individual business cards are ejected. In order to position a business card in alignment with the dispensing slot, without regard to how many business cards remain in the container, underlying springs are provided. The cards are ejected by means of a slider that is movable toward or away from the dispensing slot. The slider has an underlying foot that engages the uppermost business card. As the slider moves toward the dispensing slot the business card engaged by the underlying foot is pushed out of the dispensing slot. Similar teachings have been used in the past in dispensing of other things, such as razor blades and soap slabs.
Business card dispensers, such as disclosed by Record, have not come into general usage. It is believed that this is due to their size and, in particular, their thickness. Business card holders used by businessmen are approximately 1/4 of an inch in thickness and generally hold 10-20 business cards. The business card holder constructed in accordance with the teachings of the Record reference are approximately 3/4 of an inch in thickness. Unless business card dispensers can be made thinner to more closely resemble business card holders, they will not gain public acceptance.